Cost of Living Comparison Between Diadema and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Diadema and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $616 in Diadema versus $1,682 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,068 in Diadema versus $2,599 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,519 in Diadema versus $3,516 in Mexico City.

Living in Diadema costs roughly 63% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Diadema is 55% below, Mexico City is 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.82 R$45.80

$11.83 MX$200

-25.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.30 R$251

$52.2 MX$884

-7.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 R$45.90

$10.87 MX$184

-18.68%

Cappuccino

$2.22 R$11.52

$4.03 MX$68.2

-44.91%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 R$7.30

$1.71 MX$28.99

-17.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 R$4.51

$1.34 MX$22.70

-35.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.89 R$15.03

$3.39 MX$57.5

-14.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.18 R$21.70

$5.74 MX$97.3

-27.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 R$6.14

$1.89 MX$31.99

-37.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 R$9.94

$3.17 MX$53.8

-39.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 R$5.78

$2.05 MX$34.74

-45.85%

Eggs

$2.63 R$13.67

$3.01 MX$51.1

-12.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.58 R$44.57

$12.61 MX$214

-31.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 R$22.61

$9.94 MX$169

-56.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.04 R$52.2

$16.00 MX$271

-37.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 R$13.64

$3.28 MX$55.6

-19.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 R$8.98

$2.06 MX$34.87

-16.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.48 R$7.71

$2.09 MX$35.36

-29.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.74 R$9.03

$2.50 MX$42.44

-30.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.30 R$6.75

$2.05 MX$34.76

-36.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 R$6.18

$1.87 MX$31.70

-36.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 R$4.62

$1.57 MX$26.66

-43.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 R$3.97

$1.39 MX$23.64

-44.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.63 R$13.66

$5.38 MX$91.2

-51.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.75 R$45.42

$17.95 MX$304

-51.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 R$8.42

$2.02 MX$34.31

-19.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 R$13.16

$4.76 MX$80.7

-46.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 MX$6.13

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.80 MX$353

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 R$6.35

$2.06 MX$34.92

-40.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 R$4.76

$0.56 MX$9.55

64.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.26 R$48.10

$5.82 MX$98.6

59.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 R$6.19

$1.54 MX$26.05

-22.73%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$23.5K R$121.8K

$22.5K MX$380.6K

4.46%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$32.2K R$167.1K

$26.5K MX$448.7K

21.51%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$44.48 R$231

$66.0 MX$1,118

-32.58%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$14.83 R$77.0

$30.98 MX$525

-52.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.75 R$92.2

$36.20 MX$613

-50.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.00 R$98.7

$57.5 MX$975

-66.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.75 MX$453

Cinema Ticket

$7.47 R$38.81

$7.13 MX$121

4.77%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$424 R$2,201

$457 MX$7,738

-7.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,511 R$39.0K

$13.2K MX$224.5K

-43.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.0 R$275

$75.8 MX$1,285

-30.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.7 R$289

$54.1 MX$917

2.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.1 R$473

$116 MX$1,974

-21.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.3 R$422

$122 MX$2,063

-33.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,147 MX$19.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$726 MX$12.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,503 MX$42.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,331 MX$22.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,155 R$5,999

$3,895 MX$66.0K

-70.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$782 R$4,060

$2,149 MX$36.4K

-63.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$481 R$2,500

$1,069 MX$18.1K

-54.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.12

11.35

-2.03%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Diadema: August 16, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Mexico City pays 122% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $48.00 in Diadema vs $52.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $211 vs $344 per month, with Diadema cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Diadema vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Diadema is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 173% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 122% lower in Mexico City. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Supermarket bills run roughly 63% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $616 per month in Diadema versus $1,682 in Mexico City – a 173% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $616 in Diadema versus $1,682 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Diadema but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Diadema the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Diadema is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Mexico City, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Diadema gentler on the wallet – expenses run 173% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.